HARRI NGTO N AVIA TION MUSEUMS HARRINGTON AVIATION MUSEUMS

V OLUME 9 I SSUE 2 THE DROPZONE W INTER 2011 Publisher: Fred West

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Schweinfurt (Cont.) 3

Editorial 7

REMEMBRANCE 2011 Rothwell School 7

On Sunday 13th November members and friends of Harrington Aviation Mu- School Pics. 8 seum Society gathered at the Carpetbagger Memorial to remember all those brave men and women who have given their lives in the cause of freedom. Christmas Dinner 10

The weather was kind and so the service was held in bright sunshine with a stiff breeze snapping the flags at the jack staff. The Reverend Doug Spencley, Obituary 12 curate of the Faxton Benefice officiated. This was the last time that Doug will take part in our remembrance service, as next year he will be moving on to take Quiz 13 charge of his own parish. We wish him well in this new venture.

Tom Reeves wasn’t well enough to attend the service this year, but wreaths on behalf of Northamptonshire Aviation Society were laid by his son Jason, and granddaughter Amber.

Roy Tebbutt laid a wreath on behalf of the Harrington Aviation Museum Soci- ety, and a wreath was presented by Harrington Parish Council.

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:

On page three of this is- sue is published the sec- ond part of the article detailing the problems that faced Gen. Ira Eaker while he was establishing the U.S. Eighth Bomber Command in Great Brit- ain.

There is an Obituary for Nancy Wake, SOE.

Story and pictures of the annual Christmas Dinner and the guests who at- tended

Ron Clarke lays the first wreath, to the memory of the Carpetbaggers P AGE 2 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2

Remembrance (cont.)

Roy lays the HAMS wreath Chairs are provided for the comfort of the elderly

After the service, everyone returned to the museum where light refreshments were served by Mrs Vera Tebbutt and her band of canteen helpers.

Guests who had not previously attended a remembrance Service, or visited the museum, had the op- portunity to view the exhibits and talk to the museum guides. A number also watched the Operation Car- petbagger film. P AGE 3

Schweinfurt - The Battle Within In addition to losing over five hundred thousand pounds of bombs, more importantly to the survival the Battle for the U.S. 8th Air Force of the crews was the loss of over twelve hundred (Part 2) machine guns that would have been used for pro- tection against the German fighters. Capt David Reichert, USAF Another casualty of the weather was the loss of Recapitulation. nearly half of the fighter escort force. Of the four With adequate reinforcements and clear weather P-47 fighter groups that were dispatched with the over Germany, Eaker launched the 8th’s largest of- mission, one failed to find any bombers after fensive of the war to date. In a series of missions breaking through the clouds and another joined on that became known as ‘Black Week,’ the 8th the Second Air Division and accompanied them launched over a thousand bombers against vital in- on their diversion. The other two groups each dustrial targets in Germany. The first three missions joined on a division of B-17s and accompanied (October 8th - 10th) against the cities of Breman, them to the limit of their endurance. Gdynia and Munster, resulted in the loss of eighty- ………………. eight bombers and nearly nine hundred aviators. The loss of fighter escort was less pronounced Four days later, October 14, 1943, the day known than the loss of the missing bombers’ guns, how- as ‘Black Thursday,’ the bombers of the 8th Air ever, because even though the P-47s destroyed Force flew once again towards Schweinfurt. thirteen enemy aircraft, the majority of German fighters waited in the distance for the Thunder- The morning of October 14th started out in the bolts to turn for home. same manner with which the men of the Eighth Air Force had become accustomed: cold, dreary, and Once the bomber formations reached the Ger- foggy. man town of Aachen, on the German-Belgian bor- der, the Thunderbolts had reached the limit of Once it was determined that the weather over the their fuel and had to turn for home. Without any target was clear and that the visibility required for further fighter opposition, the Luftwaffe began to take-off was above minimums, the order was given ferociously attack the bombers. Single-engine to proceed with the mission. As the bombers began Focke-Wulf FW 190s and Messerschmitt ME 109s to climb away from their fields, they realized that the came directly at the formations, firing their 20- weather briefers had been incorrect with their predic- millimeter cannons and machine guns and twin- tions. Instead of breaking out of the low clouds at two engine Messerschmitt ME 110s and 210s would thousand feet, as briefed, most bombers didn’t break stay beyond the range of the bomber’s guns and out until six thousand feet with some remaining in the shoot crude rockets into the formations. clouds until ten thousand feet. Since the bombers needed clear conditions in order to form up into the Also in the fight were Junkers JU 88s, primarily “combat boxes” that would afford them the maximum used as night fighters by the Germans, and Junk- defensive firepower, the excessive cloud cover over ers JU 87s, (commonly known as the Stuka) which England delayed and in some cases prohibited the were fixed-landing gear dive bombers that would bombers from joining with their pre-briefed forma- climb above the Allied formations and drop time- tions. fused bombs down among the B-17s.

The most significant casualty of the weather was “We were briefed to be met by about five hun- the loss of the entire Second Air Division from the dred enemy fighters of various sorts. It turned out total combat force. At the pre-briefed rendezvous to be about seven hundred with fighters having time, only twenty-nine of the sixty B-24s were in for- come in from the Russian front. We saw every mation. After repeated attempts to contact the miss- thing imaginable thrown at us. Fighters, usually ing bombers, the air commander of the Second de- twin-engine, lined up at beyond our gun range and cided against flying into Germany with such an un- began launching rockets that appeared to be like dersized force and instead flew a diversionary mis- a telephone pole as they passed by us and ex- sion against the port city of Emden. Without a single ploded. Some enemy aircraft flew above us towing bullet being fired, the weather erased sixty bombers bombs on long cables hoping to entangle the ca- from the mission. ble on a Flying Fortress. We had never seen so many enemy fighters before or afterwards,” re- Engine problems along with other technical difficul- called John Piazza, a gunner in the 92nd Bomb ties would send thirty-three B-17s home early, bring- Group stationed at Alconbury, which was attached ing the total number of bombers that would cross into to the First Air Division. German territory down to 285 bombers, almost twenty-five percent less than planned. Please turn to page 4 P AGE 4 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2

The 306th Bomb Group, also flying as part of the “The intercom was a constant chatter as the crew First Air Division, had lost three of its eighteen called out Luftwaffe fighter locations,” remembered planes to mechanical problems shortly after cross- Gene Carson, a tail gunner with the 388th Bomb ing the English Channel. Two more went down to Group stationed at Knettishall. “I knelt in silence. I enemy fire before the P-47s left the formation at had nothing to say . . . . No one had to tell me there Aachen leaving the 306th missing five aircraft from were bandits at six o’clock and there was no need for the formation before any serious combat had be- me to report their presence. The Luftwaffe was all gun. The German fighters were relentless in their around us. . . . We were being mauled.” pursuit of struggling units and the 306th was no ex- ception. Six of the remaining thirteen were shot While the German fighters concentrated on the down prior to the target area with two more being First Air Division, the Third Air Division proceeded to shot down on the return trip home. In all, only seven the target relatively unscathed. Aided in part by the of the aircraft from the 306th managed to bomb thirty-minute time lag behind the 1st, the 3rd also Schweinfurt and only five made it back to their base benefited from a planned course diversion near the at Thurleigh. German border that took it well south of the 1st’s penetration course into Germany and away from the As bad as the losses were for the 306th, the heaviest concentration of German airfields. As a re- 305th Bomb Group’s losses were worse, in fact the sult, the entire 3rd Air Division of over 140 planes worst of the day. Scheduled to be the low group of lost only two more aircraft than did the 351st Bomb the lead wing, the 40th Combat Wing, the 305th Group during the course of the mission. was eight minutes late to the assembly point. Upon finally reaching this point, the group commander Despite the unrelenting fighter attacks and con- tried to contact the lead group of the 40th but was stant flak barrage, the bomber pilots handed control unable to do so. Not wanting to waste any more of their aircraft over to their bombardiers for the most time, the group moved to another assembly point crucial part of the mission. The next five minutes where they came in visual contact with the 1st would determine if the mission would be a success, Combat Wing. Like the 40th, the 1st was also miss- and, more importantly, whether or not all of the lives ing its low group. After making radio contact with lost in the process would be in vain. The first to ar- the 1st’s commander, the 305th slid into position as rive over the target, the 91st Bomb Group, had an the 1st’s new low group. The assigned low group of unobstructed view of the five major ball bearing pro- the 1st, the 381st Group, later joined up on the duction factories. As had been practised and per- wing’s high group, the 351st, over the English formed many times before, the lead bombardier re- Channel. leased his bombs when the target was in his cross- hairs and the remaining bombers in the formation While the low position was still the least enviable released on lead’s mark. With Schweinfurt billowing position in the wing due to the greater susceptibility smoke below, the unrelenting bombers from the 1st to flak and enemy fighter attacks, members of the turned back to the west. Unfortunately for them, their 305th were possibly feeling a little relieved because day was not yet over. they were no longer a member of the lead wing, which in recent weeks had been a frequent target for German frontal attacks. This relief was short lived however, when the air commander for the bat- tle, Col. Bud Peaslee, ordered the 1st to take the lead because his wing, the 40th, was missing its low group. Operating procedures prohibited the lead wing from entering Germany with any less than three groups due to the German’s new tactic of using frontal attacks. The 40th moved above and to the left of the 1st in a non-standard formation.

Having the extra aircraft above them in the forma- tion didn’t help the 351st’s position as the low group. Thirteen of the original sixteen aircraft dis- patched were lost prior to reaching the target area. The remaining three did manage to bomb the target and return to their home base at Chelveston. Con- versely, the extra firepower did help the other groups in the 1st. Each of the other three groups Messerschmitt ME 109 only lost one aircraft. The 40th, offset as it was in its non-standard formation, lost nineteen of its thirty- seven aircraft. Please turn to page 5 P AGE 5

The 3rd reached Schweinfurt approximately ten Others weren’t as lucky. A fitting ending to the minutes after the first and found the entire target area deadly day was waiting for the crews over Eng- covered with large clouds of smoke. Having no other land. The weather, combined with the struggles of option, the lead bombardier set his crosshairs on a the battered bombers, was at least in part respon- bridge to the southeast of the factories. On his mark, sible for the final five lost bombers of the day. Low the entire division dropped their bombs, primarily on on fuel and unable to find any airfield to land on the southern half of the factory complex as well as the due to the low clouds, the crews of these air- marshalling yards that led to Schweinfurt from the city planes decided to abandon their aircraft. All five of Wurzburg. Their mission complete, the 3rd turned planes were lost, but all fifty crewmembers sur- to follow the 1st back to the fighter escorts that would vived. This brought the total number of bombers give the beleaguered bombers some relief from the lost over the past ten hours to sixty making the trip Luftwaffe and accompany them to their bases in Eng- to Schweinfurt the costliest single mission in the land. history of the 8th Air Force.

“First it was a feeling of wonder that we were alive and had made it back to good old mother earth in one piece, plus an inner appreciation of being alive which I have to this day,” said Hoff- man.

“After being debriefed and a shot of “Old Crow”, we hit the sack as we were totally exhausted both mentally and physically as the mission had taken everything out of us. I think for everyone who flew Junkers JU 88 at that time this was true. When you say “We Gave Our All”, that is a true expression.”

During the return trip home, the bombers were The crews had done their part; it was now up to again tormented by an innumerable amount of Ger- the intelligence officers and the analysts to assess man fighters. The Luftwaffe pilots who had attacked the damage done to the 8th Air Force. After re- the bomber formations on their way into Germany ceiving the results, Eaker sent Arnold a cable that were now refueled and ready to renew the onslaught. detailed the 8th’s losses and once again re- The B-17s that they met on the way out of Germany quested additional bombers, long-range fighters, made easier targets because there were fewer of and drop-tanks for the shorter-range fighters. He them and many of those that remained were already concluded by saying “There is no discouragement operating on less than four engines or otherwise badly here. We are convinced that when the totals are battered. The 3rd bore the brunt of the attacks on the struck yesterday’s losses will be far outweighed by return leg as the 1st benefited from a more southerly the value of the enemy material destroyed.” route across Germany and France. The only defense that the bombers could offer was to keep their forma- In fact, Eaker was discouraged. He had not re- tions tight and their gunners firing until the Thunder- ceived the complete results from the attack yet, bolts arrived, presumably near the border town of but he knew that with the depleted force that had Aachen. actually dropped bombs on Schweinfurt, there was little hope that the ball bearing factories were When the bombers reached the German border, bombed out of commission. there were no friendly fighters in sight. The weather had once again dealt a crucial blow to the members of As with the first attack on Schweinfurt, he had the 8th Air Force. The fog that had almost caused the hoped that Harris would follow the 8th’s attack cancellation of the mission had persisted, and in some with a night attack on Schweinfurt. Harris, how- cases gotten worse, causing the escorts to remain ever, was adamant about not attacking what he grounded. Although not as numerous or as ferocious deemed panacea, or cure-all, targets. In his auto- as the attacks over Germany, the Luftwaffe continued biography, Bomber Offensive, Harris defended his to harass the bomber force across the occupied coun- position, saying that every time the Americans tries and in a couple of instances all the way to the went to one of these targets, their resources were English Channel. so depleted as to not return for a couple of months, giving the Germans ample time to rebuild Just because the crews had made it back to the or replace everything that was destroyed. He also Channel didn’t mean that they were in the clear. “At defended not attacking Schweinfurt specifically, the ending of a mission . . . (the English Channel) was saying, “They (the target experts) paid no atten- not always a safe haven. The RAF Search and Res- tion to the fact that Schweinfurt was too small and cue boats were always standing by to pick up downed distant a town for us to be able to find and hit in flyers. . . . Not until we touched down, taxied to our 1943.” Yet he failed to mention that Bomber Com- hardstand and cut engines did we feel a measure of mand had indeed flown missions further into comfort,” Piazza reminisced. Please turn to page 6 P AGE 6 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2

Germany than Schweinfurt, including multiple mis- almost two years previous was about to be taken sions to Berlin, as early as 1941. He also failed to from him. say that a fire-lit Schweinfurt would have been easy on that clear night over Germany and that Luftwaffe At a meeting in Cairo in early December, Arnold opposition would probably have been light and unor- expressed his displeasure with the mission rates of ganized as a result of the multiple missions that the the 8th Air Force. He had trouble understanding why fighters flew against the Americans earlier in the a larger percentage of available assets were used in day. Instead, another opportunity was missed to in- other theaters and he questioned Eaker’s training flict even greater damage on Schweinfurt. programs and target priorities. Arnold thought that there was a problem in the 8th that needed to be Desperate for a victory in the face of the huge fixed. “Only a new commander divorced from day to losses incurred, the preliminary results of the battle day routine could achieve this,” in Arnold’s view. were overly optimistic and exaggerated by senior Army leaders. At a press conference on October Arnold’s British equivalent, Air Chief Marshal Sir 18th, Arnold boldly exclaimed, “Now we have got Charles Portal, a friend and supporter of Eaker, ar- Schweinfurt!” The Army Air Forces classified maga- gued that Eaker was doing the best that he could zine Impact stated that the factories were so heavily with the resources that he had. He explained once damaged that “our bombers may never have to go more about the poor weather hindering operations back.” and that when the missions were launched, Portal explained, “Air operations in Europe and the Pacific While not to the extent that the Army Air Force could not be compared. In no other part of the world was reporting, the Schweinfurt factories were signifi- were our bomber forces up against some 1,600 Ger- cantly damaged during the raid, so much so that Hit- man fighters over their own country.” ler placed Albert Speer in charge of protecting the industry against further Allied attacks. After the war, Also discussed in Cairo was the creation of a uni- interviews with Speer revealed that the October 14th fied command in the Mediterranean Theater similar attack destroyed almost forty percent of Schwein- to the arrangement the Allies had in the European furt’s total production capacity. If the bombers had Theater. Worried that having two commands would returned shortly thereafter, he concluded, German lead to two different opinions and directives on the armament production would have been at a stand- best way to defeat Germany, the Combined Chiefs still. The bombers did eventually return to Schwein- of Staff also created the position of Supreme Allied furt, ten more times as a matter of fact, although by Commander to provide unified guidance to the two the time they returned Speer had begun dispersing theaters on the destruction of Germany. the undamaged machines vital to bearing production deeper inside of Germany. When the command structure suggested at the Cairo conference was finalized, Arnold had found a At this point in the war, Eaker had no way of way to remove Eaker from command of the 8th Air knowing the extent of the damage to the ball bearing Force without disgracing his old friend. The creation factories. What he did know was that sixty of his of the Mediterranean Theater Command meant that bombers had been shot down, another 142 were there would have to be an Allied Mediterranean Air damaged, and six hundred of his men were either Force Commander. With Spaatz reassigned to Eng- dead or missing. While he might have believed that land as the commander of the newly created U.S. the American losses would be outweighed by the Strategic Air Force in Europe, Dwight Eisenhower, damage inflicted on Schweinfurt, he must have also Roosevelt’s choice for Supreme Allied Commander, wondered how long he would have to keep sending agreed with Arnold to move Eaker to the Mediterra- his men deep into Germany without adequate fighter nean position saying, in a cable to Eaker, “…it would support. be a waste to have both you and Spaatz in Eng- land.” He continued, “We do not (repeat not) have Eaker’s discouragement over not totally destroying enough top men to concentrate them in one place.” Schweinfurt was short-lived on account of finally re- ceiving some long-awaited good news from the After repeated attempts at trying to change the states. Two weeks after the battle, as a direct result mind of his superiors to let him stay in command of of the massive losses over Schweinfurt, Arnold di- the 8th, this cable from Eisenhower effectively rected that all P-51 Mustangs and the majority of the closed the door on Eaker’s protests. He was well longer-range P-38’s were to be allocated to the aware of Arnold’s impatience with the lack of mis- European Theater. Eaker at last had the long-range sions and knew the main reason for his transfer; fighters that he had been requesting for over a year. Portal had informed Eaker of Arnold’s comments at Once his bomber force was replenished, he could the Cairo meetings. Despite his negative comments send more bombers against Germany more often towards Eaker, Arnold sent Eaker a letter of con- without incurring huge loss rates. Everything that he gratulations on his new assignment, stating, “Your had envisioned for the 8th Air Force was finally fal- new assignment…pays tribute to your talents as an ling into place. Unbeknownst to Eaker though, the organizer and a leader.” organization that he had created from scratch Continued on page 9 P AGE 7

EDITORIAL Rothwell School Visit

While we hear of venues closing through lack of October was an exceptionally warm month, but visitors, Harrington museums have had a very good during the last ten days there was finally an au- year. In spite of a later start to the season visitor tumnal nip in the morning air although the sun numbers for both adults and children are higher than continued to shine. On such a morning, we wel- they were in 2010. comed the first group of children from Rothwell Junior School. (There were so many of them that The museums continue to be particularly popular we had to accommodate them over two consecu- with a variety of adult organisations who visit on tive days.) weekdays and evenings, and there have been six groups from Travel Editions, organisers of ‘War The children are divided into teams, each team Weekends’ who make their visits on Sundays. We having six members. A team leader is appointed were kept busy right up to the end of the season and then they set off around the museum collect- with October being a very busy month. ing information. Children in this age group com- plete a quiz devised by Ron Clarke called the We started and ended the month with groups from Parachute Quiz, that takes its name from the ex- Travel Editions and in between played host to hibits marked with a tiny parachute symbol that twelve personnel from R.A.F. Benson, 30 Scouts also bears a number. and ninety children from Rothwell Junior School. Needless to say, we breathed a great sigh of relief The quiz sheets are divided into ten blocks of at closing time on Sunday the 30th! numbers ranging from 1 to 99, but there are only twenty eight items to be located and identified. It As usual, Mrs. Vera Tebbutt did a great job with is all good fun and members of the team that the organisation of the annual Christmas Dinner, gains the highest score are presented with a cer- held on December 5th, and she has also kept a tificate. keen eye on the canteen staff throughout the year. When the quiz is completed the children are in- It was also good to see Tom Reeves out and troduced to other exhibits that give them some about again at the Christmas Dinner. Tom hurt his idea what life was like during World War Two. back towards the end of the season and has been having some tough physiotherapy for the past few They hear the air raid siren, look at incendiary weeks, I’m pleased to see that it seems to have bombs, use the stirrup pump and experience worked. what it was like to spend time inside an Anderson Shelter. The stirrup pump and the Anderson ………………………………….. Shelter are always the most popular activities!

As I write this editorial, there is great excitement in This year is the first time that we have used the the country concerning the slap in the face delivered air raid siren. It is the personal property of Roy by the Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron, to the German and he very kindly allowed us to use it in an ex- and French Premiers last week. He is being hailed periment to see if it would prove to be popular. It as the ‘hero of the hour’ who saved our Nation from is a rather delicate instrument, and has to be han- falling into the clutches of the Germans. dled carefully to prevent damage to the mecha- nism. We are now trying to obtain a more robust It should be remembered that he would have model for future use. handed us over to the Germans if they had made just one concession, but they didn’t and so he While the incendiary bombs attracted only mild claimed victory. The real credit for his stand must interest, the means of dealing with them, the stir- go to those Members of Parliament who have kept rup pump, was very well received. Each team him under pressure to stop giving way to EU de- queued up to take their turn at first pumping, and mands. then squirting. Needless to say, one or two peo- ple got a little damp! Prominent amongst those is our local Member of Parliament, Philip Hollobone, who works tirelessly The activity was under the supervision of Mr. for the good of his constituents and the benefit of Ronald W. Clarke while the water carriers, (code the country as a whole. I am very pleased that names Aquarious and Gunga Din, otherwise Philip is a member of HAMS. known as Keith and Fred), were kept busy replen- ishing the fire buckets. (Thinks: must get a longer From all at Harrington, we wish you a Merry hose pipe for next year.) Christmas and a fabulous New Year, and ask you to spare a few moments thought for absent friends. Pictures on next page. Fred. P AGE 8 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2

A young demonstrator shows how it should Yes, we’ve all got the hang of it now! be done, but Keith looks a bit anxious!

Emerging from the Anderson Shelter. And “Its dark in there, but I think I saw a mouse.” no, Keith is not bashing anyone, just protect- ing their heads.

Uncle Ron announces the winners of the The winning team from the first group show quiz. off their certificates. (Teams usually consist of six, but there was one extra here.) P AGE 9

The Schweinfurt Raid All of these improved numbers are a direct result (Continued from page 6) of the addition of the P-51 Mustang to the inventory of the 8th Air Force. The same P-51 that Eaker had After a few final orders and more than a few requested over a year before he was relieved of good-bye speeches, Eaker was on his way to the command. Mediterranean to assume his new command. Jimmy Doolittle, famous for his leadership in the The second battle of Schweinfurt is a microcosm raid on Tokyo earlier in the war, replaced Eaker as of all of the reasons that Eaker was replaced as 8th Air Force Commander. commander of the 8th Air Force. The poor weather that was constantly hampering the 8th’s ability to On his way to Italy, Eaker was informed that conduct missions was responsible for the loss of Prime Minister Churchill was in North Africa and sixty bombers before the divisions even crossed into would like to have a word with him. Eaker met occupied Europe and was a contributing factor in Churchill in Marrakesh where the Prime Minister the destruction of five bombers whose crews bailed thanked Eaker for his service and congratulated when they were unable to find a landing strip. It was him on his new, larger assignment. Then the for- also responsible for the grounding of the 3rd Air Di- mer opponent to strategic daylight bombing made vision’s egress escorts. one of the most telling comments on Eaker’s time with the 8th Air Force; “This gives me an occasion The majority of the aircraft lost on the mission to to tell you that your representations to me at that Schweinfurt were lost because of the lack of fighter time have been more than verified. Around-the- escort any further than the German border. Repeat- clock bombing is now achieving the results you edly over the past year and a half, Eaker had re- predicted.” quested the allocation of P-51 Mustangs to escort his aircrew into Germany. Before the P-51s were Churchill was correct with his statement. With the available, he had asked for external fuel tanks for addition of the Mustang to escort the bombers, the the existing fighters. Despite the multiple requests Allies were able to penetrate deeper and more of- and the large amount of losses on every deep pene- ten into Germany than ever before. By mid-1944, tration mission, Arnold could never get the 8th the the Luftwaffe was offering little to no opposition to resources they needed to conduct a successful op- the foreign aircraft that penetrated their airspace. eration against the Germans until Eaker had already On D-Day, Allied warships were untouched in their been reassigned. venture across the English Channel and Allied bombers were unmolested by enemy aircraft as After the week that culminated with the Schwein- they dropped their payloads on the beachheads. In furt raid, the 8th had to stand down for a few days his autobiography, Global Mission, Arnold states, until they had replaced the lost aircraft and repaired “What had happened to the German Air Force?… the damaged ones. Throughout his time in Europe, Had our daylight bombing been effective? Had our Eaker had been promised replacements and rein- plans for ‘round the clock’ bombing of Germany forcements that would bolster his numbers and en- borne fruit? We needed no further proof.” able the 8th to mount the large-scale attacks that were necessary both for protection of the bombers Some, due to the excessive loss rates and poor and for destruction of the selected target. When it bombing results, consider missions such as was time for these reinforcements to arrive, some- Schweinfurt a failure. The critics of these missions, thing else would come up and the bombers that Schweinfurt in particular, fail to take into account were supposed to be given to the 8th were instead what came about as a result of the mission. Be- given to other commands, other services, or other sides heavily damaging the five main ball bearing countries. factories in Schweinfurt, the bombing also created a massive reorganization of the German bearing At the same time Eaker was denied assets while industry that caused a slowing in the production of he was still expected to continue with the bombing bearings. There might not have been an immedi- campaign. When he could not keep up the pace of ate drop in the production of bearing-dependant operations that was expected of him, because of all aircraft, but without the attack on Schweinfurt, pro- of the factors stated above, Arnold criticized him for duction of these aircraft and other war-related ma- proceeding too slowly. chines would have continued on longer than it did. And finally, because of British resistance to the Shortly after Eaker’s departure, the 8th was able concept of strategic bombing, the American raid on to send over one thousand bombers on a single Schweinfurt was never followed by what would have mission. It was sustaining a lower loss rate on been a crippling British attack. Ever since Eaker had these missions than during Eaker’s tenure as com- arrived in England, Harris had been trying to convert mander and the bombing results were better than Eaker to the concept of area bombing. His dislike of during Eaker’s tenure. Please turn to page 10 P AGE 10 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2 the strategic bombing concept never caused him to museum and for quite a few years has been a deny Eaker any help that he was able to offer, but he guide, in company with Clive, with Travel Editions refused to attack the targets that the Americans felt ‘Secret War’ weekends. were the most important. Harry has now decided to take life a little easier The second mission to Schweinfurt was an impor- and will not be visiting the museum quite so often tant battle in American military history. On the out- with Travel Editions tours. So on his last visit to side, it damaged the major producer of a crucial the museum in October we arranged to have a component of the Nazi war-machine. More impor- group photo taken with Harry ‘centre stage’ and tantly, on the inside, it was the catalyst for the present him with a copy at the Christmas Dinner. sweeping changes that were necessary to ensure the maximum destruction of Germany as fast as pos- The sun shone brightly on the day and we were sible with the minimum loss of human life. And once further fortunate that Gina was at the museum en- again, in an effort of such magnitude that had never gaged on a piece of research. She readily agreed been put forth before or duplicated since, it showed to take the photograph, and as a professional that no matter what the opposition, the American sol- photographer, she did an excellent job. See the dier will never be turned away without completing his results on the next page. objective. Unfortunately, your publisher is not too skilled ————————————– with a camera, so the pictures taken at the dinner are not first class. They would have been much Anyone who finds it difficult to understand why there better if I had used my pocket camera, but I chose was such a lack of understanding and cooperation to use an expensive model that I had not previ- among Commanders, needs to read more military ously used in subdued lighting. (Should have and political history. obeyed the dictum ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’)

I further suggest that readers with no military experi- Here are some of the better shots. ence consider carefully what the Schweinfurt raids represent. Although the losses were heavy, this is just one example of the many air attacks that were launched against Germany, some with even heavier losses of aircraft and personnel. This was all under- taken so that we in the western world could live in a society free from tyrants.

Therefore, to anyone who lived through the Second World War it is inconceivable that any politician claiming to be British, could contemplate handing sovereignty of our country to Germany in the name of ‘mutual cooperation.’ Adolf would be dancing in Hell!

All those who think that it is right to submerge Britain in a Federal Europe should be taken through Traitors Getting to grips with the turkey/lamb/salmon? Gate and incarcerated in the Tower Of London! (And I will gladly pull the levers on the rack [Fred].)

——————————

HAMS Annual Christmas Dinner

Once again we gathered at Market Harborough Golf Club for the annual get-together on Monday 5th December. This year though, was a little different to past events as we had a number of special guests. Clive Bassett and his wife Mary brought with them Harry and Liz Verlander and we were also pleased to welcome for the first time, Ms. Gina Glover and her husband Geoff.

Most of our members know that Harry is our tame ex-Jedburgh who has his own display in the Vera and co. waiting for the next course. P AGE 11

Front L to R: Vera, Harry, Harry’s wife, Liz, and Tom

Standing: Fred, Hilary, Keith, Roy, Betty, Graham, Adrian, and Clive

Every one in the picture signed their name on the back of Harry’s copy

Gina was presented with a bunch of flowers, as Vera Christmas Dinner 2006. was Vera. Unfortunately the one of Vera was She hasn’t altered has she? poor quality. BUT, on the right is one that I took earlier….(about five years earlier). P AGE 12 VOLUME 9 ISSUE 2

Harry and Liz relaxing. Harry and Liz with Ron, after the presentation.

(The lights had not been turned down, lazy flash.) (Sorry about the blur.)

OBITUARY Nancy Wake 1913—2011

Nancy died in August after a short illness. Since 2003 she had been a resident at the Royal Star and Garter Home for Disabled Servicemen and Women, Richmond, London.

Nancy moved to Europe from in her late teens and earned her living as a journalist. In the 1930s she settled in Marseille, where she met and married her husband, a wealthy industrialist named Henri Fiocca. At the outbreak of World War Two Nancy began helping downed allied airmen to get back to Britain, and later became a courier for the French Resistance Movement.

When the GESTAPO were about to close in on her she managed, at the sixth attempt, to get to Spain and from there to England, where she was recruited by the Special Operations Executive. On comple- tion of SOE training she was parachuted back into France from a Carpetbagger aircraft. Nancy eventu- ally had control of around seven thousand resistance fighters and always led from the front.

At the end of the war she discovered that after her escape to England, her husband Henri was ar- rested by the GESTAPO and eventually died under interrogation.

Nancy was one of the most highly decorated members of the SOE, having earned the following hon- ours:

France’s highest award, the Legion d’Honneur; three Croix de Guerre, and the French Resistance Medal

From Britain she was awarded the George Medal

From America, the US Medal of Freedom

In 2004 she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia

P AGE 13

Christmas Quiz

This is a tricky connections quiz. Answer each question and then work out the one word that connects each answer. For example, each answer could be connected to a door: back door, side door, stable door, etc., (but door is not connected with this quiz) so test your brain power.

1. Which 2001 action-adventure movie, filmed in Prague and based on one of Chau- cer's works, starred Heath Ledger, Rufus Sewell and Paul Bettany?

2. Which former Labour leader was registered with the Football League as an honorary player for Plymouth Argyle to celebrate his 90th birthday?

3. Which British current affairs magazine first appeared in 1961, having evolved from a school publication edited by , Willie Rushton, and at School in the mid-1950s?

4. What title is used in the US to describe a licensed attorney, assigned to represent people who are charged with a crime and who desire legal representation but who can- not afford to hire a privately retained attorney.

5. Which Swedish tennis player won 7 Grand Slam singles titles between 1982 and 1988?

6. Which 1953 American Biblical epic film, starring , Jean Simmons and Victor Mature, tells the story of Demetrius, a Roman military tribune who commands the unit that crucifies Jesus?

7. Which Antipodean band, formerly known as Split Enz, played to around 250,000 people at their farewell concert outside Sydney Opera House in November 1996?

8. A recent Rugby Union scandal involving a faked injury to a Harlequins player be- came known in the tabloid press as what?

9. What was the name of the hideously ugly member of the Beano's Bash Street Kids, so ugly that he became handsome when he pulled a face?

10. John Birks Gillespie had a famous nickname, as did Edward Kennedy Ellington. What was Charles Parker Junior's?

Try not to tear out too much of your hair!

Answers can be found on the back page. HARRINGTON AVIATION MUSEUMS

Off Lamport Road Harrington Northamptonshire NN6 9PF

Phone: 01604 686608

Email: [email protected]

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year

Wer’e on the Web! www. harringtonmuseum. org.uk

And the connection? ANSWERS 1. A KNIGHT'S TALE 2. (footbath) 3. (eyebath) 4. PUBLIC DEFENDER (public baths) 5. MATS WILANDER (bathmats) 6. THE ROBE (bathrobe) 7. CROWDED HOUSE (bathhouse) 8. BLOOD GATE (bloodbath) 9. PLUG (bathplug) 10. BIRD (birdbath) Connection: BATH or BATHS

If you didn’t manage to get the answers, try working backwards.